NIZHNY NOVGOROD, August 7 (RIA Novosti) - A small pet crocodile tumbled from the 12th floor balcony of a Russian apartment, landing on concrete but surviving with only a broken tooth, local rescuers said Tuesday.

The South American Caiman had lived peacefully in Anton Kryukov's flat in the Nizhny Novgorod Region, on the Volga River, for 15 years. According to the owner the crocodile "barks like a dog," and once frightened burglars away.

A local zoologist said he was astonished that the crocodile had survived the accident with no broken bones and virtually no injuries.

The owner said he had left the crocodile, named Khenar, alone in the flat for only a couple of hours when the accident happened. In the hot weather, the crocodile probably stuck his head out of the balcony to breathe some fresh air, but leaned out too far.

After Khenar's 30-meter fall, rescuers caged him and took him to an animal shelter. The owner said his pet reptile came to two days later, and after a lot of rest returned to his normal self.